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Content type: Sermon Poem / Prayer Service / Tribute Incomplete Biography
Body: When you think of October what comes to mind? Some of you may say pumpkins, or leaves changing their color creating beautiful scenes of our Lord’s creation, or the transition from warmth to winter. And some, including myself, may think of baseball. The playoffs, the “Fall Classic”, the World Series. The World Series is the culmination of a grueling 162 game season of baseball games played by the best of the best. Only two teams advance to the best of seven series to see which team will be that years World’s best baseball team. The first World Series was played in October of 1903. Boston played Pittsburgh in a best of nine game series, that was won by Boston five games to three. Baseball’s Mr. October is none other than Reginald Martinez Jackson. Reggie Jackson earned this title some 40 years ago “when He busted the pinstriped ghosts of autumns past. Three home runs on three pitches against three different pitchers on a clear, 56 degree night in the Bronx”. Those of you that know anything about post-season baseball, understand what an amazing accomplishment this is. The likes of which most likely never to be witnessed again. Reggie Jackson overcame hostility from fans and teammates, ridicule and remarks from the press, and negative headlines about an under-achieving, over paid black athelete. Reggie’s perseverance, work-ethic and talent eventually won over the admiration of the fans and his teammates. Jackson, I believe would agree that this night in October was a once in a lifetime event. The best of the best Major Leaguers have lifetime batting averages in the lower 300’s. This translates to getting on base 3 – 4 times out of 10. Ty Cobb, probably the best pure hitter of all time, had a lifetime batting average of .366. Therefore failing 6 – 7 times out of 10. Baseball is a game where players fail more often than they succeed. And sometimes our Christian life can be like baseball. Ty Cobb failed as a hitter more than he succeeded. And so have all the good hitters ever to play the game. They fail more than they succeed. Have you ever felt that way as a Christian? Have you ever felt like you were failing in your Christian life more often than you were doing the right thing? I certainly feel that way a lot. And some folks I talk with feel the same. It is something that many Christians struggle with. So, what do we do when we feel like we are failing in our walk with God? Don't we try to work harder to do what's right? We tell ourselves that we can do better and live better and we try on our own to clean up our lives. Baseball players do that too when they are in a slump and not hitting well. Sometimes they forget the fundamentals of hitting like keeping their eyes on the ball. When their batting average drops, they try harder. They take extra batting practice or examine their swing on video with a hitting coach to try to see what they are doing wrong. And sometimes it works. They figure out their mistakes and correct them and they start hitting again and their batting average goes up. But, more often than not, they slip back into the old habits and don't keep the fundamentals of their swing right, and before you know it, they're back in a slump, not hitting very well. We do that too as Christians when we get in a slump in our Christian walk. We slip from doing what we know is right. We take our eyes off what is important. And when we slip up, we try to work harder. We read our Bibles more or pray more. That may help for a while, but then something happens and we slip back to doing what we know we shouldn't. And as that happens more and more, we get discouraged. We feel like we are the worst Christian in the world and will never be able to be the kind of person God means for us to be. If you have ever felt that way, I want to remind you of something this morning. The greatest evangelist of the New Testament, the Apostle Paul, did the same thing. He was in the very same boat we are. Paul said as much in his letter to the church at Rome. He said he knew what he ought to do, but many times he found himself not doing it. And what he knew he should not do, he kept doing. Listen to his words. Struggling with Sin 14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all to human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows me that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong, it is sin living in me that does it. 21 I have discovered this principle of life-that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. If Paul had been a baseball player, he was striking out more times than he was getting a hit. He acknowledged that evil was present in his life. He wanted to do good, but he found that he was not practicing what he would like to do. In fact, he said he was doing the very thing he hated. Paul had a picture of his life. And it was not very flattering. Listen to what Paul says about himself. 1 Timothy 1:15 “This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ came into the world to save sinners”-and I am the worst of them all.” Paul says that when it comes to sinners, he was the worst of all. How could God use someone with such a messy life for the good of His kingdom? And if Paul, a great evangelist, was such a mess, then why should we wonder how we can ever be used in our messed up state. But, you see, that’s what God’s grace is all about. That's the beauty of Gods grace. Even before we were born, God, in His omniscience, knew that we wouldn't be perfect. He knew we would fail. He knew that we would all sin and fall short of God’s mark of perfection. And that's why Jesus Christ was in God’s plan. Jesus came to do what we couldn't do. Because, you see, Jesus batted a 1.000. He always got a hit. He never made an out. He played the perfect game. He never failed. In baseball, sometimes when you're not hitting very well, the coach puts in a pinch hitter. The coach knows you're struggling and so he puts someone in to bat in your place. The coach knows that it's more likely that someone else will get a hit when you’re in a slump. And that's the very thing that God did for us. He put Jesus in to pinch hit. He knew when we were struggling at the plate, striking out a lot. God knew we were sinners, so God allowed Christ to be our substitute. Christ pinch hits for us. And when He hit for you, Christ hit a home run. Christ died on the cross to save us even when we were failures. And now, if we put our trust in Christ, we get to experience the results of Christ’s sacrifice. Our sins are forgiven and we have a home in heaven for eternity. Aren't you glad you are on God’s team? The Bible assures us that God’s team will win. You see, God has seen the end of the game. He knows what the final score will be. He knows that those who accept Christ as their Savior will be on His team forever. So when you strike out now and then, remember this. Remember what Christ did for you. Remember that because of Christ and because of God’s grace, you will win in this World Series of life. Just as a great baseball player can have a batting average of .300 and fail more than he succeeds, a vibrant follower of Jesus will also live an imperfect life. And just as there is no perfection or anything close to it in the game of baseball, it is the same in our Christian life. As Christians, we can live free from the pressure to perform perfectly because of the cross. I played on several teams and I tried to do my best. I wanted to be a good hitter and a good fielder because I didn’t want to disappoint the Coach. I would have done anything to not disappoint him as my coach, because I knew he wanted me to be the best baseball player I could be. So I worked hard to please my coach, not because I thought he would kick me off the team if I messed up and made an error, but so that I would not disappoint him. The same is true for us as Christians. You see, our relationship with God is based on Jesus' perfect life. His death on the cross paid the price for our sins. And because of Christ’s great love for us, and what He did by dying on the cross, it gives us the motivation to grow spiritually and be faithful. We work at being a better Christian, just as a baseball player works to be a better player. But as a Christian, we work at living a better life, not because we have to work to gain our salvation or because we are afraid that God will kick us out of our relationship with Him. We work at living a good Christian life because of our love for the Master. And here’s what that means for you and me today? It means that we need to get in the game. Get in the game and play the best we can. That's what Paul did. And God used Paul, a flawed and imperfect individual, for His glory. 1 Timothy 1 15-16 15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”-and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God has mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in Him and receive eternal life. Paul established churches all across the geography of his day. Even though he was not perfect, God used him in a mighty way. He wrote most of the letters in the New Testament. And in each of those letters, Paul tells us about God’s grace as one who has experience in being forgiven. And God can use us too, even though we feel unworthy because of our failures. As you know, when you play baseball, you wear the uniform of your team. And likewise, when you play on God’s team, you have to put on the uniform. Let’s look at the uniform of the Christian in: Ephesians 6: 10-18 The Armor of God 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, That’s what a player on God’s team looks like. So put on your uniform. Get in the game. Play the game hard because you’re loved and forgiven. Jesus Christ our Lord and savior; He is our Mr. October. He is always in the game, He has never made an out and He never will. He is the Most Valuable Player, He has been and will be for all eternity. John 1:1-5 Christ, the Eternal Word 1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought life to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. Amen and all Praise and Glory to God.
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